Tragic death of elderly woman in devastating house fire grips Yellowwood Park residents
The collapse of the roof structure and subsequent inferno claimed the life of a beloved community member, Margaret Hadebe, as she was ensnared within the engulfed residence. Despite valiant efforts by neighbours utilising a hosepipe, the endeavour proved futile owing to inadequate water pressure.
“THE community of Yellowwood Park mourns the loss of one of its own, renowned for her benevolent spirit and unwavering hospitality.”
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These were the words of the residents who gathered at the harrowing scene, where the charred remains of Margaret Hadebe were discovered within her home on Friday (May 10). Shocked and in search of solace, neighbours and community leaders grappled with the inexplicable tragedy.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the fire originated in the lounge, swiftly engulfing the entire house, resulting in the collapse of its ceiling.
Distraught neighbours gathered outside Hadebe’s home.
Resident Jay Moodley recounted his initial observation of smoke emanating from the deceased’s residence, leading to a futile attempt to quell the flames with a hosepipe amid dwindling water pressure.
“The kitchen door stood ajar, yet our efforts to penetrate the inferno were thwarted by its ferocity and the thick flames [sic] of smoke. As the roof succumbed to the blaze, we were compelled to run away from the house,” Moodley lamented.
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Ward councillor Gavin Hegter expressed his sorrow at the tragic turn of events, acknowledging the community’s valiant efforts despite challenges posed by aging infrastructure.
“It’s a very sad situation. I have engaged with some of the neighbours, and it emerged that they have tried their best to extinguish the fire. Residents raised concerns that the water pressure was extremely low. Without politicising this, however, the reality is the municipality has turned down the pressure on the water in this area because of the old pipes as we are having continuously burst pipes from the pressure. I am not saying that would have made much of a difference.
“They used the hosepipe to spray water at the front door to see where she was, but unfortunately, there was not enough pressure to have any effect.
“Many of these houses are fairly old. When fire breaks out, it goes quickly, however, the authorities will comment further on that and give us the exact cause of the fire,” said Hegter.
Echoing Moodley’s sentiments, resident Von Bargen recalled his interactions with the deceased, underscoring her compassionate nature.
He said that despite their concerted efforts, the blaze proved insurmountable, leaving the community to seek solace in a brief prayer service at the site of Margaret’s tragic demise.
There was a sombre moment at the scene, when a group of neighbours conducted a short prayer service at the deceased’s home. Some of the neighbours cried uncontrollably when they saw the deceased’s body lying on rubble and debris in the house.
Montclair Police arrived at the scene. The body was taken to a nearby government mortuary.
Attempts to get a comment from the Montclair SAPS were not successful at the time of publication.
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